Cork puller

ABSTRACT

A cork remover having a spring-steel U-shaped prong member comprising a bight and a pair of outwardly diverging corkembracing prongs. The prong member is formed to fit lengthwise into a pair of tubular telescoping handle portions when the prongs are pressed toward each other. Each handle portion has an axial slot to enhance the radial resiliency thereof so as to permit alignable detents on the walls to interlock and release attendant to deflection of the walls as the handle portions are telescoped and separated. In addition, the U-shaped bight is formed to be wedged diametrically of the handle portions with the prongs extended through the slots which are radially aligned. The wedging action deflects the walls outwardly and interengages the detents which are brought into alignment by adjusting the axial position of the handle portions relative to each other.

United States Patent 1 Szumacher [4 1 Dec. 16,1975

1 1 CORK PULLER 21 App]. No.: 567,518

[52] US. Cl 81/3.41; 81/177 D [51] Int. Cl. B67B 7/06 [58] Field of Search 81/341, 177 D; 145/61 L [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1902 Ham 8l/3.41 12/1904 Kennedy 81/341 Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker Attorney, Agent, or F irm-John J. Kowalik [5 7] ABSTRACT A cork remover having a spring-steel U-shaped prong member comprising a bight and a pair of outwardly diverging cork-embracing prongs. The prong member is formed to fit lengthwise into a pair of tubular telescoping handle portions when the prongs are pressed toward each other. Each handle portion has an axial slot to enhance the radial resiliency thereof so as to permit alignable detents on the walls to interlock and release attendant to deflection of the walls as the handle portions are telescoped and separated. In addition, the U-shaped bight is formed to be wedged diametrically of the handle portions with the prongs extended through the slots which are radially aligned. The wedging action deflects the walls outwardly and interengages the detents which are brought into alignment by adjusting the axial position of the handle portions relative to each other.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Dec 16, 1975 3,926,076

CORK PULLER DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART Although various pronged type of cork pullers are known, most comprise a pair of prongs and an interconnecting handle. The prongs are sharp and therefore dangerous and the device is not easy to store, especially when it is to be packed for trips. The prongs tend to pierce a packing pouch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a novel self-storing cork puller.

An object of the invention is to provide a multi-piece cork puller in which the prong member cooperates with the handle portions, not only to hold the handle portions in telescoped position enclosing the prong member but also to hold the handle portions in assembly with the prong member when it is in use position.

The invention contemplates a novel handle and prong assembly wherein the spaced prongs are pressed together to enter the tubular handle sections lengthwise thereof and the outward bias of the prongs causes the handle sections to interlock with each other while completely encasing the prong element, the prong element being positionable transverse to the handle sections and having a resilient portion thereof wedged diametrically therein, effecting deflection of the walls of the handle sections and interlocking matching detents thereon.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more readily apparent from the specification and the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my novel cork puller shown in use position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view of the cork puller partly in axial section, showing the puller prongs inserted into a bottle and grasping a cork;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of the parts in storage position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The cork puller generally designated 1 comprises a pair of tubular cylindrical inner and outer handle por tions 2 and 2, each having a thin cylindrical wall 3 and a closed end 4.

The inner section 2 is of slightly smaller diameter than the other section 2 to slidably complimentally fit into the same. Each section 2,2 is provided in their walls 3 with a pair of equally spaced annular external grooves 6,7 and internal beads 8,9 which collectively form detents which are radially alignable. The beads 8 and 9 of the outer sections snap into the external grooves 6 and 7 of the internal section as best seen in FIG. 5. Each wall 3 is also provided with an axial slot 10 which extends from the open end 11 of each section inwardly. These slots enhance the radial flexibility of the walls 3. I

The prong element 15 is a U-shaped structure having a curved bight 16 having a bridge portion 17 and a leg portion 18 at each end, which is provided at its outer extremity with a pair of shoulders 19,19 at opposite edges of the root end 20 of an outwardly tapered prong 21 which has outwardly converging side edges 22,22 terminating in a distal end point 23.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the legs or prongs 21,21 are normally diverged apart outwardly and when inserted lengthwise axially within the telescoped handle sections tend to bias the walls thereof outwardly, thereby springing and maintaining the detent means in locked position. The sections, however, are adapted to be pulled apart against the bias of the legs and the prong element withdrawn and positioned with its bight portion wedged diametrically within the inner handle portion. The upper corners 25,25 of the bight intermediate section butt against the interior surface 26 of the wall of the inner section, and the shoulders 19,19 are wedged against the wall of the inner section at opposite sides of the slot 10. This wedging causes the walls 3 of the inner handle section to expand against the wall 3 of the outer section and the detents which are aligned are caused to releasably interlock. The prongs, of course, extend radially through the radially aligned slots and are adapted to be positioned within the opening 30 of the neck 31 of a bottle 32 tightly embracing a cork 33 therebetween. The handle is then slowly rotated while pulling on the handle, thereby withdrawing the cork.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be noted that various modifications will now become readily apparent within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cork puller comprising a puller element and a pair of telescoping inner and outer handle sections, said element adapted to fit lengthwise into said handle sections, interengaging detent means on said sections, said element having portions biasing and maintaining said detent means in releasable interengaged relationship.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and said puller element being U-shaped and having a pair of prongs which are normally spread apart and diverge outwardly and are adapted to be pressed together and entered into said sections and in spreading apart biasing said detent means into interengaged relationship.

3. The invention according to claim 1 and said handle sections each being tubular and having a wall with an axial slot therein enhancing radial flexibility of said walls and said detent means being formed on said walls.

4. The invention according to claim 3 and said detent means comprising grooves on the inner of said sections and beads on the outer of said sections adapted to enter respective grooves.

5. The invention according to claim 1 and said element adapted to be positioned in use position transversely of said handle sections and said handle sections each having a wall with an axial slot therein, said slots alignable radially and admitting said puller element therethrough and said puller element having a portion adapted to wedge within the wall of the inner section to spread it against the outer section wall and urging said detents into locked relation.

6. The invention according to claim 5 and said puller element being U-shaped and said puller portion comprising a bight segment and a pair of prongs.

7. The invention according to claim 6 and said bight segment having shoulders adapted to bear against the wall of the inner section at opposite sides of the slot therein and prongs between said shoulders extending outwardly of the handle.

wall of the inner section opposing said shoulders.

10. The invention according to claim 4 and said puller having means for locking engagement with said sections while positioned radially thereof, and means for tightly wedging said means against said handle sections and thereby said detent means into tight locking relation. 

1. A cork puller comprising a puller element and a pair of telescoping inner and outer handle sections, said element adapted to fit lengthwise into said handle sections, interengaging detent means on said sections, said element having portions biasing and maintaining said detent means in releasable interengaged relationship.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 and said puller element being U-shaped and having a pair of prongs which are normally spread apart and diverge outwardly and are adapted to be pressed together and entered into said sections and in spreading apart biasing said detent means into interengaged relationship.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 and said handle sections each being tubular and having a wall with an axial slot therein enhancing radial flexibility of said walls and said detent means being formed on said walls.
 4. The invention according to claim 3 and said detent means comprising grooves on the inner of said sections and beads on the outer of said sections adapted to enter respective grooves.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 and said element adapted to be positioned in use position transversely of said handle sections and said handle sections each having a wall with an axial slot therein, said slots alignable radially and admitting said puller element therethrough and said puller element having a portion adapted to wedge within the wall of the inner section to spread it against the outer section wall and urging said detents into locked relation.
 6. The invention according to claim 5 and said puller element being U-shaped and said puller portion comprising a bight segment and a pair of prongs.
 7. The invention according to claim 6 and said bight segment having shoulders adapted to bear against the wall of the inner section at opposite sides of the slot therein and prongs between said shoulders extending outwardly of the handle.
 8. The invention according to claim 7 and said prongs diverging outwardly and adapted to be deflected together to enter a bottle neck opening at opposite sides of a cork, whereby deflecting opposite ends of the bight toward each other, thereby tightly wedging the same within the inner sectIon and locking said detent means in tight engagement.
 9. The invention according to claim 8 and said bight having lateral edges defining contact areas with the wall of the inner section opposing said shoulders.
 10. The invention according to claim 4 and said puller having means for locking engagement with said sections while positioned radially thereof, and means for tightly wedging said means against said handle sections and thereby said detent means into tight locking relation. 